Ask the Author: Emilie Autumn
Answered Questions (42)
Emilie Autumn
Hello darling!! Please email [email protected] and present your SSS question to the Asylum Ambassadrice - she will be delighted to help you:).
Thank you for your very kind words. I find that, if you live with curiosity and eyes wide open, you will never lack creativity, for everything you see, hear, and taste becomes inspiration.
All my love, and thank you for having the hardcover—it is very special indeed;).
~ EA
Thank you for your very kind words. I find that, if you live with curiosity and eyes wide open, you will never lack creativity, for everything you see, hear, and taste becomes inspiration.
All my love, and thank you for having the hardcover—it is very special indeed;).
~ EA
Emilie Autumn
Hello Elizabeth!
Characters have been both added and removed to make the book a new, more concise, and more exciting read, and also to make it a technically better literary work, but I love all the versions of the story, and also love that every edition offers something different:)!
Thank you so very much for being a part of this world!
~ EA
Characters have been both added and removed to make the book a new, more concise, and more exciting read, and also to make it a technically better literary work, but I love all the versions of the story, and also love that every edition offers something different:)!
Thank you so very much for being a part of this world!
~ EA
Emilie Autumn
Hello darling!
Yes, of course living authentically is always a struggle. Do you know the quote by poet e. e. cummings: "To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting."? This is of course true, as you have found. But what is next for you is the realization that he only think scarier than being yourself is not being yourself.
I have only three rules to live by: Be kind, harm no one, and help others whenever I am able. I can do whatever I like as long as I am hurting no one else, and as long as I am always kind, and think of others. If I've done that, then who could mind what I do or think? And if they do, what do I care?
If you are kind, if you consider others, if you harm none, there is no reason why you should not live and create in any way you like, and I sincerely hope that you do:). I believe in you.
All my love,
EA
Yes, of course living authentically is always a struggle. Do you know the quote by poet e. e. cummings: "To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting."? This is of course true, as you have found. But what is next for you is the realization that he only think scarier than being yourself is not being yourself.
I have only three rules to live by: Be kind, harm no one, and help others whenever I am able. I can do whatever I like as long as I am hurting no one else, and as long as I am always kind, and think of others. If I've done that, then who could mind what I do or think? And if they do, what do I care?
If you are kind, if you consider others, if you harm none, there is no reason why you should not live and create in any way you like, and I sincerely hope that you do:). I believe in you.
All my love,
EA
Emilie Autumn
Hello Darling!
I believe that Emil(y) came to me as a way for me to work through elements of my life that I was not ready to talk about myself. I believe that Emil(y) is Irish because my own family, on the maternal side, had branched into Ireland from Scotland by the time Emil(y) would have been born. On my mother's side, the family is further traced back to Scotland, moving to Ireland, moving to Somerset, England, then to Canada, then to the US. I imagine I could write about an alter-ego existing in the various time periods in any one of these places;)...
All my love,
EA
I believe that Emil(y) came to me as a way for me to work through elements of my life that I was not ready to talk about myself. I believe that Emil(y) is Irish because my own family, on the maternal side, had branched into Ireland from Scotland by the time Emil(y) would have been born. On my mother's side, the family is further traced back to Scotland, moving to Ireland, moving to Somerset, England, then to Canada, then to the US. I imagine I could write about an alter-ego existing in the various time periods in any one of these places;)...
All my love,
EA
Emilie Autumn
Hello dearest!
Vecona and I took the earliest Captain photos together as I wanted to include pictures of my captain character in the book, and we were together at the time I was putting the graphics in place, so she was the perfect model. Several aesthetic and character changes have happened over the years as I came to think of the story in a more visual fashion, brought about by the in-process conversion to a Broadway show and film. The Captain is now blond because, through the many concert tours with Veronica and Captain Maggots, I saw how fantastic it looked when we all had completely different hair colors. When you envision the book as a stage play, you see that the ideal is for the three lead girls to look as different as possible, and, in the newest version of the book, they do:). Several of the latest evolutions have happened because, not only do they tell a better story, but they tell a better visual story on stage. I feel really good about this, and I hope you enjoy the changes as well!
Additionally, having the Captain be blond ties her even more obviously to the Count de Rothsberg, for any who had missed that connection the first time around;).
All my love and thanks for such a fantastic question,
EA
Vecona and I took the earliest Captain photos together as I wanted to include pictures of my captain character in the book, and we were together at the time I was putting the graphics in place, so she was the perfect model. Several aesthetic and character changes have happened over the years as I came to think of the story in a more visual fashion, brought about by the in-process conversion to a Broadway show and film. The Captain is now blond because, through the many concert tours with Veronica and Captain Maggots, I saw how fantastic it looked when we all had completely different hair colors. When you envision the book as a stage play, you see that the ideal is for the three lead girls to look as different as possible, and, in the newest version of the book, they do:). Several of the latest evolutions have happened because, not only do they tell a better story, but they tell a better visual story on stage. I feel really good about this, and I hope you enjoy the changes as well!
Additionally, having the Captain be blond ties her even more obviously to the Count de Rothsberg, for any who had missed that connection the first time around;).
All my love and thanks for such a fantastic question,
EA
Emilie Autumn
Hello darling!!
You are very clever, and very astute. I believe, after much reflection, that it is exactly as you suspect. I believe Emil(y) exists to say those things that I could not/can not say about myself. She is also the better parts of me, because she is more honest in some ways. There are things I can only write down if I say that they happened to someone else, and Emil(y) came to me, I believe, to serve that purpose.
Love you my dear!
EA
You are very clever, and very astute. I believe, after much reflection, that it is exactly as you suspect. I believe Emil(y) exists to say those things that I could not/can not say about myself. She is also the better parts of me, because she is more honest in some ways. There are things I can only write down if I say that they happened to someone else, and Emil(y) came to me, I believe, to serve that purpose.
Love you my dear!
EA
Emilie Autumn
Hello darling!
I've got two favourite fictional characters: Jane Eyre and the narrator with no name from Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca.
Love,
EA
I've got two favourite fictional characters: Jane Eyre and the narrator with no name from Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca.
Love,
EA
Emilie Autumn
Hello Miss Drusilla!!
Amazing question...Jolie was actually NOT modeled from Captain Maggots as I hadn't yet met her at the time of the book's writing...in my show, however, Maggots took on the role of the Captain, and created a character that was truly all her own, and is at least as good as the character in the book:)!. And yes, Veronica in the book is absolutely Miss Varlow, to the finest detail. Veevers has been my love in past lives over centuries, and our romance found its way into the book in great detail.
So much love,
EA
Amazing question...Jolie was actually NOT modeled from Captain Maggots as I hadn't yet met her at the time of the book's writing...in my show, however, Maggots took on the role of the Captain, and created a character that was truly all her own, and is at least as good as the character in the book:)!. And yes, Veronica in the book is absolutely Miss Varlow, to the finest detail. Veevers has been my love in past lives over centuries, and our romance found its way into the book in great detail.
So much love,
EA
Emilie Autumn
Hello darling!
I can't listen to anything at all when I am reading or writing...so that rules out working in coffee shops. My ears are uber sensitive because of the musical training I suppose... But as I said in another answer, if I'm not reading or writing but just doing more dull work, websites or graphics or whatnot, it's British comedy at low volume all the time.
All my love to you,
EA
I can't listen to anything at all when I am reading or writing...so that rules out working in coffee shops. My ears are uber sensitive because of the musical training I suppose... But as I said in another answer, if I'm not reading or writing but just doing more dull work, websites or graphics or whatnot, it's British comedy at low volume all the time.
All my love to you,
EA
Emilie Autumn
Dearest Abbie,
You are amazing, because I was planning a post about this very thing...in the background when I am working, I have British comedy on, every day. Fact. If I'm working on music I've got nothing on of course, and if I'm writing, it must be complete silence, but if I'm doing more administrative things like I am at the moment, it's Fawlty Towers, A Bit of Fry & Laurie, The Great British Baking Show, things like that. I am pretend British, and I don't care who knows it;)!!! Oh! And if the tele isn't on in the background, then it's jazz recordings from the 1920s.
All my love,
EA
You are amazing, because I was planning a post about this very thing...in the background when I am working, I have British comedy on, every day. Fact. If I'm working on music I've got nothing on of course, and if I'm writing, it must be complete silence, but if I'm doing more administrative things like I am at the moment, it's Fawlty Towers, A Bit of Fry & Laurie, The Great British Baking Show, things like that. I am pretend British, and I don't care who knows it;)!!! Oh! And if the tele isn't on in the background, then it's jazz recordings from the 1920s.
All my love,
EA
Emilie Autumn
Dearest Bryan, thank you so much for wanting to come and sing with me! I've been so lucky to be in Australia three times in my life now—three times more than most Americans will ever have the privilege to go, and I am so grateful... Whilst I work on the musical I'm off the road for a bit, but I will try and get back to you as soon as I possibly can!
So much love,
EA
So much love,
EA
Emilie Autumn
Hello my dear Ivy,
Money should never prevent a girl from reading a good book. Bless you, and send an email to the Asylum Ambassadrice at help (at) asylumemporium (dot) com, she'll straighten this out;).
All my love,
EA
Money should never prevent a girl from reading a good book. Bless you, and send an email to the Asylum Ambassadrice at help (at) asylumemporium (dot) com, she'll straighten this out;).
All my love,
EA
Emilie Autumn
My dear Plague Rat Manuel,
Of course, I remember you!! You are so cherished. And Italy is my heart.
I am so glad you are enjoying the eBook because now you can hear some of the songs from the musical that I've been working so hard on! I must hold some of the musical songs back so that there is something new for you all when that finally comes out, but I will always try and give you new music and words in the meantime - I know it's been too long!! Not only that, but there is a new novel in the works, no one knows about it yet, I've not said a peep...join us in the S.S.S. and I may tell you the title;)...
Thank you for everything, for being with me over these years, and for being with me in the future of very exciting, magical things to come;)...
~ EA
Of course, I remember you!! You are so cherished. And Italy is my heart.
I am so glad you are enjoying the eBook because now you can hear some of the songs from the musical that I've been working so hard on! I must hold some of the musical songs back so that there is something new for you all when that finally comes out, but I will always try and give you new music and words in the meantime - I know it's been too long!! Not only that, but there is a new novel in the works, no one knows about it yet, I've not said a peep...join us in the S.S.S. and I may tell you the title;)...
Thank you for everything, for being with me over these years, and for being with me in the future of very exciting, magical things to come;)...
~ EA
Emilie Autumn
Hello sweet Heather!
I love YOU too, thank you for having that big beautiful version of the book, and for being such an important part of the Asylum world!
I had hoped for those in the S.S.S. to have the new version of the book because so much discussion is going on around the puzzles and other details the are not present in the version you have. However! Please contact our Asylum Ambassadrice and she will be happy to help you with your S.S.S. application—just tell her that EA sent you on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, and we will make it work;).
All my love and thanks, and see you in our secret society soon!
~ EA
I love YOU too, thank you for having that big beautiful version of the book, and for being such an important part of the Asylum world!
I had hoped for those in the S.S.S. to have the new version of the book because so much discussion is going on around the puzzles and other details the are not present in the version you have. However! Please contact our Asylum Ambassadrice and she will be happy to help you with your S.S.S. application—just tell her that EA sent you on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, and we will make it work;).
All my love and thanks, and see you in our secret society soon!
~ EA
Emilie Autumn
Hello dear Brian,
You are a dream, thank you for all of your support and for being such an important part of the Asylum! You are deeply appreciated.
To answer your very good question, there is certainly a theme to the puzzles as they all fit together in the end to form a master puzzle which will lead you to the location of The Spoon of the Royals. Now, whether that theme is the same as what you are noticing I cannot say;). My advice is to be very thorough, read the story carefully, and once you have, go back to the verrrrry beginning and see what there is to see...
All my love, and I hope you enjoy this new eBook more than any versions you have read yet - it is my favorite!
~ EA
You are a dream, thank you for all of your support and for being such an important part of the Asylum! You are deeply appreciated.
To answer your very good question, there is certainly a theme to the puzzles as they all fit together in the end to form a master puzzle which will lead you to the location of The Spoon of the Royals. Now, whether that theme is the same as what you are noticing I cannot say;). My advice is to be very thorough, read the story carefully, and once you have, go back to the verrrrry beginning and see what there is to see...
All my love, and I hope you enjoy this new eBook more than any versions you have read yet - it is my favorite!
~ EA
Emilie Autumn
Hello dear Trina,
You are clever! I cannot confirm because I don't want to spoil anything for anyone here who hasn't yet figured out as much as you have, and besides, most of the fun in writing is letting the reader come to her own conclusions. What I CAN tell you is that in the book, as in our lives, there are a handful of things that characters may not say out loud, but that they always knew on some level. In this case, the two girls' behavior to each other and the language that they use pretty much indicates how much they know, and I think they know a great deal;).
All my love, and thank you for being such a thorough reader and picking up on all of the little details—that's what writers dream of!
~ EA
You are clever! I cannot confirm because I don't want to spoil anything for anyone here who hasn't yet figured out as much as you have, and besides, most of the fun in writing is letting the reader come to her own conclusions. What I CAN tell you is that in the book, as in our lives, there are a handful of things that characters may not say out loud, but that they always knew on some level. In this case, the two girls' behavior to each other and the language that they use pretty much indicates how much they know, and I think they know a great deal;).
All my love, and thank you for being such a thorough reader and picking up on all of the little details—that's what writers dream of!
~ EA
Emilie Autumn
Hello Lynn,
Thank you for your question! I completely understand what you're asking, and you are quite right, it is much better to read the book and then go back to the puzzles (and make sure you have an internet connection when you do;).
When trying to solve, I can tell you that some basic knowledge of cryptography will be very useful, but that it will take you nowhere unless you can solve the riddles, and the riddles can only be solved by those who have read the whole story and really, truly understand it:). It sounds like you are well on your way!
Al my love and gratitude,
~ EA
Thank you for your question! I completely understand what you're asking, and you are quite right, it is much better to read the book and then go back to the puzzles (and make sure you have an internet connection when you do;).
When trying to solve, I can tell you that some basic knowledge of cryptography will be very useful, but that it will take you nowhere unless you can solve the riddles, and the riddles can only be solved by those who have read the whole story and really, truly understand it:). It sounds like you are well on your way!
Al my love and gratitude,
~ EA
Emilie Autumn
Dearest Kaylyn,
Thank you for sharing and being so honest. I'm going to give you an answer that you may not like, but I hope you will understand:
As bipolar people, we HAVE to leave our disorder out of the workplace. We have to. We have to be more skilled, more "stable", more "normal" seeming than anyone else (in professional situations I mean—in creative situations we can use our "crazy";). As a female, you already know what this is like to have to be better. Now add an interesting mental condition onto that, and that's how much stronger and better you have to be. Why? Because once we allow ourselves (meaning all bipolar individuals) to be seen as "weaker" or "less capable" or "less reliable," we are ruined, and we have contributed to that stereotype that we cannot be trusted.
How do you do this? How do you seem normal when you're not, but your professional situation (or just general life) demands it? It's not easy, but I know you can do it, and I know this because, as a rule, bipolar people are exceptionally intelligent. You make sure that you are getting the help and support that your mental challenges demand. You make sure that you have a therapist or at the very least a good friend to talk to. You look into balancing medication if you haven't already. You CAN function in EVERY situation with absolute success if you are taking care of yourself. But we need a lot of help, and that's ok. Some times it takes work to get that help, but I did it and so can you.
Lastly, don't worry about educating your employers—use that energy on making yourself as healthy as possible instead. The truth is that it isn't our employer's responsibility to know anything about us, and if we require that they give us special consideration, we are making ourselves less valuable.
We have to accept that we live in a world where special consideration will not be given to us, or anyone really, and that's actually just fine because we really don't need it. In my showbiz career, everybody knows about the things that make me different. But in my general participation within society, I never talk about it, and no one knows, and that is just as it should be. When talking to therapists and friends and family, let it all out and ask for help when you need it. But, in the outside world, think of being bipolar as a precious secret that is yours to keep and actually benefit from, because there are indeed benefits.
You've got this, Kaylyn, trust. You've learned something from this situation, and you will thrive in the next one. I believe in you.
All my love,
~ EA
Thank you for sharing and being so honest. I'm going to give you an answer that you may not like, but I hope you will understand:
As bipolar people, we HAVE to leave our disorder out of the workplace. We have to. We have to be more skilled, more "stable", more "normal" seeming than anyone else (in professional situations I mean—in creative situations we can use our "crazy";). As a female, you already know what this is like to have to be better. Now add an interesting mental condition onto that, and that's how much stronger and better you have to be. Why? Because once we allow ourselves (meaning all bipolar individuals) to be seen as "weaker" or "less capable" or "less reliable," we are ruined, and we have contributed to that stereotype that we cannot be trusted.
How do you do this? How do you seem normal when you're not, but your professional situation (or just general life) demands it? It's not easy, but I know you can do it, and I know this because, as a rule, bipolar people are exceptionally intelligent. You make sure that you are getting the help and support that your mental challenges demand. You make sure that you have a therapist or at the very least a good friend to talk to. You look into balancing medication if you haven't already. You CAN function in EVERY situation with absolute success if you are taking care of yourself. But we need a lot of help, and that's ok. Some times it takes work to get that help, but I did it and so can you.
Lastly, don't worry about educating your employers—use that energy on making yourself as healthy as possible instead. The truth is that it isn't our employer's responsibility to know anything about us, and if we require that they give us special consideration, we are making ourselves less valuable.
We have to accept that we live in a world where special consideration will not be given to us, or anyone really, and that's actually just fine because we really don't need it. In my showbiz career, everybody knows about the things that make me different. But in my general participation within society, I never talk about it, and no one knows, and that is just as it should be. When talking to therapists and friends and family, let it all out and ask for help when you need it. But, in the outside world, think of being bipolar as a precious secret that is yours to keep and actually benefit from, because there are indeed benefits.
You've got this, Kaylyn, trust. You've learned something from this situation, and you will thrive in the next one. I believe in you.
All my love,
~ EA
Emilie Autumn
Hello my dear Heather,
Thank you for your very important questions!
As to your first, I find it very easy to write from multiple character perspectives because I embrace the truth that there is a part of me in all of these characters, no matter how evil or delightful they may be. I so enjoy allowing myself the luxury of exploring all of these different parts of myself that I would certainly not be allowed to do in civilized society were I not writing "fiction." I encourage anyone, writer or not, to explore themselves through writing bits, thoughts, sentences, as other people (or animals;), simply as an outlet for the hidden corners of our consciousness that may make us healthier, more whole beings if we allowed them room to play once in a while.
To your second question, that is a much more difficult one to answer, because the truth is that I don't. While I am motivated, I am not confident, and I still have a strong tendency towards depression and going deep into the dark—it's just where my mind naturally goes unless a great deal of effort is put into keeping it out of that place. As you may be able to tell, I do put a great deal of effort into seeing the light, feeling the wonderment, and my secret is very, very simple: YOU.
Because I have you and other Plague Rats to talk to, whom I am so grateful to know are listening to me if I speak, I make myself see things the way I want YOU to see them, point things out to you that I know I need to see myself. If I post something on Instagram or FB about empowerment, or confidence, or not caring what other people think, it is just as much a reminder for me as it is meant to be for you.
Thank you and all of the Asylum community for giving me a reason to be a fighter who will never stop believing in magic.
All my love,
EA
Thank you for your very important questions!
As to your first, I find it very easy to write from multiple character perspectives because I embrace the truth that there is a part of me in all of these characters, no matter how evil or delightful they may be. I so enjoy allowing myself the luxury of exploring all of these different parts of myself that I would certainly not be allowed to do in civilized society were I not writing "fiction." I encourage anyone, writer or not, to explore themselves through writing bits, thoughts, sentences, as other people (or animals;), simply as an outlet for the hidden corners of our consciousness that may make us healthier, more whole beings if we allowed them room to play once in a while.
To your second question, that is a much more difficult one to answer, because the truth is that I don't. While I am motivated, I am not confident, and I still have a strong tendency towards depression and going deep into the dark—it's just where my mind naturally goes unless a great deal of effort is put into keeping it out of that place. As you may be able to tell, I do put a great deal of effort into seeing the light, feeling the wonderment, and my secret is very, very simple: YOU.
Because I have you and other Plague Rats to talk to, whom I am so grateful to know are listening to me if I speak, I make myself see things the way I want YOU to see them, point things out to you that I know I need to see myself. If I post something on Instagram or FB about empowerment, or confidence, or not caring what other people think, it is just as much a reminder for me as it is meant to be for you.
Thank you and all of the Asylum community for giving me a reason to be a fighter who will never stop believing in magic.
All my love,
EA
Emilie Autumn
Hello my dear!
I would dearly love to tour, and am beginning to plan something now because I miss you all very much!! If you've signed up for the Asylum Emporium newsletter, you will be the first to know:)!
So much love,
EA
I would dearly love to tour, and am beginning to plan something now because I miss you all very much!! If you've signed up for the Asylum Emporium newsletter, you will be the first to know:)!
So much love,
EA
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